(UPDATED DEC. 8) Marshall woman's father honored for long career as photojournalist

Katye Elsea of Marshall poses beside a print of one of her father's most famous photographs, "Misty Morn."
(Contributed photo)

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In September, Elsea's daughter Vicki was given a clipping announcing her grandfather's new honor, but the family had never heard anything about it.

"I didn't know that they had a photojournalism hall of fame," Elsea said.

Katye Elsea's plaque marking the posthumous induction of her father, Townsend Godsey, into the Missouri Photojournalism Hall of Fame.
(Sydney Stonner/Democrat-News)

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Luckily, Elsea and her family were informed in time to attend the award ceremony in Washington, Mo.

With four generations present to remember Godsey, including a namesake grandson, Elsea accepted a plaque distinguishing him as an inductee and shook hands with Gov. Matt Blunt.

About the ceremony, Elsea said, "It was really nice because a gentleman who had been inducted into the (photojournalism) hall of fame last year came up and introduced himself to my husband and me and said, 'I just want you to know that the reason I got into this area was because I saw your dad's pictures, and I wanted to make photos like that.'"

Godsey was born in Maryville in 1905, and that's where he first got involved in journalism. While a student reporter at Northwest Missouri State University, he displayed spunk, standing up to the administration when they wanted him to cover something up. Godsey later studied at University of Central Missouri and University of Oklahoma.

Elsea remembered one of her father's ideas about journalism. "Truth in reporting was the most important thing to remember."

Godsey began his career as a writer, working for newspapers around Missouri, as well as the Associated Press and Miami Daily News in Florida.

His photos won national awards, appeared in national publications like "Time," "Life," "National Geographic" and others.

Elsea noted, "He was the man who started ... 'Missouri Conservationist' magazine, was director of news services and taught mass communication" at Central Missouri State University (now known as Central Missouri University).

"He was vice president and communications professor at the College of the Ozarks for several years," she said.

He also worked for the Missouri Department of Conservation where he founded the Nature Knights program for kids.

Its logo was designed by Walt Disney.

"He was a firm believer in being a steward of the world around us," Elsea said. "I think he fostered in all of us a caring attitude and an attitude of observing and appreciating the world around us."

Godsey's work for the conservation department has not been forgotten. A few of its representatives were present at the award ceremony, Elsea said.

"They were full of praise for Daddy and the work he did for the department."

His favorite subject, however, was people, especially those of the Ozarks. He moved his family there to become a freelance photographer, documenting ways of life fading into history.

"I think he did a really good job of capturing the essence of the person, the character," Elsea said.

But it was hard to be a freelancer in those days, Elsea remembered. It was during World War II, and Godsey did his share of pin-up shots.

"The servicemen wanted pictures of their sweethearts, and often Daddy got paid in produce."

Godsey didn't mind bartering for his photographs, nor did his wife Helen care when she was paid for piano lessons in milk or eggs.

Although Godsey left the Ozarks to teach at Stephens College in Columbia and the Fred Archer School of Photography in Los Angeles, he was drawn to Taney County and settled there for good in 1965.

His book "Ozarks Mountain Folk: These Were the Last" contains photographs of old general stores, log cabins in the hills and folk musicians, to name a few.

"Daddy was always able to make himself one of them," Elsea said. "He was always accepted by the hill folk, and they were quite leery of outside people."

In his lifetime, Godsey authored 500 photo features and articles, 20 plays, three books and three films. One of his films was about the construction of Table Rock Dam in the 1950s. He even photographed Thomas Hart Benton painting the murals in the capitol.

He also took photographs for 20 View-Master reels. Elsea, the youngest of three, was in high school at the time and got to tag along to Tennessee and Kentucky.

"I was even in the foreground of a couple," she said.

Elsea learned about the darkroom from her father, which helped her get her first job working in a photography shop in Branson. Godsey also taught her about cameras.

"I can remember when he bought me my first Brownie camera," Elsie said. "I used it in high school and at Girl Scout camp. I remember all the rules he taught me."

Elsea hasn't inherited Godsey's passion for photography, she said. She doesn't take pictures now, but leaves that to her husband, Alden, and her children.

She does hang one of her father's most famous works, "Misty Morn," in her home, and now she has a plaque honoring her father to go with it.

Contact Sydney Stonner at marshallbusiness@socket.net